


Song For You

by Zerotaste



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-23
Updated: 2019-04-23
Packaged: 2020-01-24 09:05:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18568219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zerotaste/pseuds/Zerotaste
Summary: Rei plays with a genius level of mastery as always but the manner of playing, even as his fingers move at speeds Mao’s eyes can’t keep up with, feels like something that with a lot of practice he could perhaps kind of do. Plus, Ritsu thinks Rei’s really cool so maybe if he can play an instrument Rei looks really cool playing, Ritsu might think he’s cool too. That’s so silly to think; he doesn’t really need another excuse to try learning an instrument asides from sharing in Ritsu’s love for music but, it would be pretty sweet if Ritsu did think he was cool too.For RitsuMao week 2019, Day 2 prompt -Song





	Song For You

Nerves flutter through him as he cracks open the door to the Sakuma manor, guitar in a cheap case slung over one shoulder. He’s been putting this off for a couple of months now, his desire to play with Ritsu conflicting with his insecurities over how well he plays. Sitting around and fretting over that isn’t going to get him anywhere though, at some point he needs to come clean about this and today is as good as ever. It’s been three years since he first chanced upon Ritsu playing the piano, he’s been waiting long enough for this. He just hopes he doesn’t mess up when it comes to the big moment. He really does want to see Ritsu smile.

“Yo! Ricchan are you home?” His voice is loud as he steps inside and kicks off his shoes. The place is massive and who knows just how deep in the labyrinth of hallways he might be.

Floorboards creak under his feet as he makes his way deeper into the house, there’s no sounds of music being played, nor chatter between the brothers. Mao’s not entirely sure if they even have parents or if they live here alone but occasionally he swears he hears voices in the shadows. Today those voices are silent too.

“Ricchan?” The deeper in he gets, the more he starts to wonder if they’re both out and just forgot to lock the door upon leaving. Even from the outside the place looks haunted so it’s unlikely anyone would attempt to sneak in.

“In here Maa-kun~” A voice calls out of the library and his nerves conflict with the relief he feels at knowing he’s not entirely alone in the creepy house. It plays in perfectly with their entire vampire thing they have going on but he really does wish sometimes that the brothers could just live in a normal house without portraits on the wall that seem to watch you as you walk past.

“Are you actually studying for once?” He’s surprised, Ritsu seems to just coast along on the fact he’s smart. Though as he enters the room properly and sees Ritsu holding an occult looking book, he knows that’s not the case. “Or not. What’s that book?”

“Maa-kun would hate it~ It’s super creepy.” He sounds too smug as he teases with that and then stops, blinking curiously. “What’s that on your back?”

His words mimic Mao’s annotation perfectly and he feels a blush at both being teased and at Ritsu immediately noticing the guitar.

“Um it’s a guitar.” Wow he sounds every bit as scared as he is. How is he supposed to pull this off? “I might’ve been learning and I wanted to know if you’d play with me?”

\-----

Fingers dance over the keys, body moving in time with the music and expression on his face serene. Mao’s never seen him like this, so involved and lost in a world of his own. He feels like he’ll shatter the story Ritsu’s building with his music if he so much as moves so there he stands, frozen and holding the manga he brought over to show Ritsu to his chest. He’s never seen anyone quite so in tune with an instrument, the way he plays tells of experience beyond his years. Mao’s no expert at all but he can at least tell when someone’s really good.

“Maa-kun?” His fingers drop from the keys and all illusions of elegance and experience drop with them, back before him is the ten year old boy he’s come to spend time with. Ritsu may be in the year above him but sometimes Mao swears he acts younger than even himself. Perhaps that’s a youngest child thing, from what he’s seen his older brother certainly does spoil him.

“That was so cool.” He’s a little embarrassed now to be clinging to a couple of volumes of a manga about ninjas fighting. He doesn’t have any talents remotely like that, he’s pretty good at sports but not amazing, he’s alright at studying but he’s no genius, he’s just kind of right there in the middle, a jack of all trades, master of none. “You said you played piano but I didn’t know you were that good.”

“Mmm I’m not really good. Onii-chan’s real good though.” Pushing himself off the piano stool Ritsu’s feet hit the floor with a small grunt of effort. “He can play everything super well.”

It’s not until a month later that he gets to see the two of them in action. The way both of them communicate not only with their instruments but with each other through the music makes his heart tug. He knows it’s silly to feel jealous of the connection they have but he’s starting to learn just how important music is to Ritsu; as someone with a weak constitution and introverted personality, this is a way of expressing himself. He wants to share in it but as he stands in the doorway to their music room waiting for them to finish, he can’t ever imagine possessing the skill or patience to learn how to play the piano like Ritsu nor the violin like Rei.

It becomes habit, him purposely timing his visits and braving wandering through the Sakuma manor alone after dark to get to listen to the tail end of Ritsu’s piano practice. He’s used to turning up in the mornings now to drag his friend out of bed but the place has a different air to it once the sun has set. The pieces Ritsu plays steadily get more complex as he grows, from his finger tips on the keys to his feet on the pedals it’s like the piano is an extension of himself. He’s mesmerised and in awe of his friend’s skill but more and more he feels the desire to understand further what music means to him.

Of all the things to give him an answer to that desire, it’s Ritsu’s brother. Most of their joint sessions that he’s listened in on have involved more classical melodies, ones that allow Ritsu’s piano to shine as much as his brother’s violin. There’s always been a drum kit and a couple of guitars in the music room but he’s never seen them touched. The Sakuma family is richer than he can quantify, they don’t really need an excuse to have instruments that perhaps neither of them can actually play. It turns out that those instruments aren’t just there for show though. A more modern tune spills from the door, not like the jazz sounds he occasionally hears Rei and Ritsu playing together, something harder with a more rock edge. It’s cool, really cool and as he peaks his head around the door, for the first time he feels like this might be a way he can join in.

Rei plays with a genius level of mastery as always but the manner of playing, even as his fingers move at speeds Mao’s eyes can’t keep up with, feels like something that with a lot of practice he could perhaps kind of do. Plus, Ritsu thinks Rei’s really cool so maybe if he can play an instrument Rei looks really cool playing, Ritsu might think he’s cool too. That’s so silly to think; he doesn’t really need another excuse to try learning an instrument asides from sharing in Ritsu’s love for music but, it would be pretty sweet if Ritsu did think he was cool too.

He doesn’t really want to just bust on in on Rei’s solo session to ask if he can teach him. He doesn’t really want to ask him at all because what if he just sucks all together? That would be really embarrassing. Plus, it would be kind of nice to do this as a surprise. One day to be able to play the guitar and reveal to Ritsu that he’s now able to join in with an activity that’s so precious to him. Of course that requires not only figuring out how to play the guitar but also finding the money to get one of his own. Nothing shiny or fancy like the one Rei’s currently playing but hopefully he’ll be able to do enough household chores and jobs for neighbours that he can pull together enough for something.

By the time he manages to scrounge together the money to buy a decent second hand acoustic guitar from a classmate’s older brother, Ritsu’s skill has advanced beyond his comprehension once again. He’s never going to catch up, he knows that but he’s put so much work into getting this thing that he’s going to give it a shot.

Lessons are a little outside of his budget and his parents aren’t really the sort to pay for that kind of thing but at least he has the internet. Countless afternoons are spent sat cross legged on his bed, laptop open in front of him as he tries to follow along with video lessons. The notebook he’s dedicated to copying down diagrams of chords and pasting in songs he’s learning steadily grows thicker as do the calluses on his fingers. It’s really not easy and his studying for school is kind of suffering due to it but the accomplishment he feels the first time he nails a simple song without messing up keeps him going as much as his determination to play alongside Ritsu.

There’s frustration at times, watching Ritsu and Rei playing together, more and more they’ll play complex jazz tunes, Rei swapping instruments with ease, skill consistent no matter what he choses. Sitting there as he uses their jam session as background music for the book he needs to read for class, he keeps finding himself distracted not by the fact Rei’s picked up a guitar today but instead by the joy Ritsu clearly feels playing something so upbeat and fun. It’s unusual to see him with such a big smile on his face but it’s infectious. Mao’s going to have to reread this chapter once he gets home because there’s no way he can tear his eyes from the bright smiling face of his friend as he plays.

Popping up at unexpected times, the memory of Ritsu’s smiling face spurs him on. On a constant basis his fingers ache and he finds himself playing air guitar during break times at school as he runs over tricky parts in the songs he’s learning. It might be a little selfish but he really hopes he gets to see a similar face from Ritsu when he reveals what he’s been practising for him. He’s pretty sure most people’s best friends don’t secretly learn instruments to surprise them but most people’s best friends don’t communicate better through music than they do words. With each passing day he craves being able to share that with him.

\-----

“Maa-kun with a guitar huh? It suits you.” A small smile tugs at his lips and Mao’s heart flutters slightly at the knowledge that even seeing him take an interest in an instrument has pleased him. “You never told me?”

Head titled to the side Ritsu’s eyes are filled with questions and the small smile fades to a pout. He wonders if he should feel bad about keeping it a secret but he really doesn’t know if he’d have had the courage to show Ritsu how bad at playing he was during his first few months.

“Ah yeah sorry.” Scratching the back of his head he tries not to act to awkward. “I learnt it so I could play with you so I wanted it to be a surprise.”

Shock hits Ritsu’s face almost instantly before a smile bigger than he’s ever seen when he hasn’t been playing spreads over it. He doesn’t know how to react except to smile back, seeing Ritsu this happy is rare and it’s a moment he knows he’ll cherish.

“Maa-kun learnt for me?” Surprise is still clear in his voice. “Ah~ but you probably still suck right? I gotta make sure you don’t suck too bad.”

“I did and yeah compared to you I probably do.” It’s kind of a relief that Ritsu expects him to be bad. “I’ve been mostly learning stuff that’s popular but I think I found some of the music you were playing a while ago, I’ve been trying my best. I don’t think I could keep up with what you play now but-”

“Maa-kun, shhh.” A cold finger makes its way to his lips ensuring that he shuts up. “I don’t care if you suck, it’s Maa-kun so it’s okay.”

There’s a gentle quality to Ritsu as his hand moves from his lips to Mao’s own hand, grabbing it tight and using it to pull himself up from his chair. He’s so lucky that he decided to reach out to Ritsu , if he hadn’t made that gesture a few years back, he wouldn’t have met a friend whose smile send his heart rocketing nor would he have had reason to learn an instrument. Even playing alone he’s starting to understand what it is Ritsu sees in music. It may never be as big of a part of his own life as it is Ritsu’s but being able to shut himself in his room and forget everything except his guitar is really nice, he can see where he’s coming from with that.

He expects Ritsu to take a seat on his own usual spot in the music room and to watch him play before doing anything else. It’s a bit of a surprise to him that he goes right for the piano instead, revealing the keys and making himself at home on the stool.

“If it’s something popular I’ll be able to play along.”  With a lazy smile he rolls his shoulders before turning to face Mao fully.

Unzipping his bag and taking out his guitar is a little bit unnerving when he’s being watched so closely like this but pulling up one of the straighter backed chairs in the room and slinging the strap over his shoulder he’s starting to feel a little more at ease. This is just like at home, except instead of cross legged on his bed he’s practicing proper posture for once and there are eyes on him as he fumbles to bend down and grab a pick out of a pocket in his bag.

“If I screw anything up its cause I’ve never shown anyone else before.” He adds as a disclaimer as he tests the instruments tuning and warms himself up a little. “I do have music if you need it, you probably don’t but I thought just in case...”

“It’s fine Maa-kun.” Turning back to face the piano himself Ritsu finishes warming up his wrists and fingers, it’s elegant in a way and a little hard not to be mesmerised by. “I’m not as good as Onii-chan is but I’m still better than anyone else my age.”

He wants to tell Ritsu that there’s no point in warming up when they’re likely to be playing something he could’ve play at half his age but it seems to be a bit of a ritual for him to run through the exercises. As Ritsu finishes a scale Mao’s eyes dart down to the folder of music sat within his bag. He doesn’t need it, he knows these songs by heart by now but nerves have him questioning that.

“Ready, Maa-kun?” To be hurried along by Ritsu sure is a change of pace.

Taking a deep breath he nods. He can do this. Arranging his fingers he shoots Ritsu a shaky smile before simply beginning to play. He’s fairly certain he’s mucking things up every now and then, he’s already doing weird things with his timing but when Ritsu’s piano starts to join in, matching his melody and giving him more consistent timing to adjust to, everything seems to even out. It’s weird at first, acknowledging that this song isn’t just something he’s playing along but that there’s two parts to it. Ritsu’s is just as important as his own, copying the melody from him but embellishing it, adding an artistry that Mao can’t even dream of having. It’s like he’s really talking to him through the keys, saying I accept what you’re giving me and will give you all I can in return.

By the time they reach the chorus he can’t keep the smile off his face. While he can’t spare the time to look up and take in Ritsu he can feel through his music that he’s enjoying this as much as he is. It may have been a long road to this point but every extra set of chores he had to do and every lawn he mowed, every night he stayed up too late practising and every piece of homework he had to rush, it was all worth it. He wishes he’d done this earlier or that he had been able to afford lessons to speed up the process but in a way he feels more accomplished having done this himself. Hard work and determination pay off and he may not be a natural like Ritsu is or a genius like his brother but it’s all worth it in the end to hear that happiness through Ritsu’s playing and to know that he’s brought his reserved friend, usually bathed in darkness, some brightness and light.

It’s selfish to think this but knowing the life Ritsu’s excluding right now is due to his hard work? It makes him happier than anything.

As the song finishes he allows himself to look up at Ritsu, just as expected, a smile shines brightly on his face and it only amplifies the one that Mao hasn’t been able to rid himself of.

“How was that?” He asks, trying to keep cool rather than exclaiming just how awesome it felt to be in tune with him like that.

“Hmmm I think Maa-kun needs to practice with me more.” There’s a sly look on Ritsu’s face that he’s been seeing more of these days. Mao has a feeling Ritsu’s going to grow up into quite the dangerous person.

“You’re just saying that to get me to play with you more.” Fortunately, he sees right through those ways. He’s known him too long to be fooled by them.

“I am.” He admits easily, natural smile returning. “And you will right?”

He’s not about to turn that down. By sharing music with Ritsu he’s not only making him happy but even after one slightly fumbled song he feels like he’s getting to know him better. If this is what it takes to fully understand his friend then he’ll practice until his fingers bleed and his strings break.

“Of course I will.” Placing his pick between his lips he gives his fingers another stretch before picking up his guitar properly once more. “Again, I’m gunna be bad but you’ll just have to deal with that.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> This has been a headcanon of mine for ages so I'm glad this being a prompt got me to finally turn it into a fic


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